Each year around the end of the summer, someone will ask what we’re planning on doing for the annual PMI Christmas Card. We discuss it for awhile, decide we’ll meet on that subject in the near future and then we forget about it until mid-November, when someone will remind us that we never decided anything. Then we panic. Early in our history (1987 through 1992) Tom Casey (today with Homerun Pictures) would use our Silicon Graphics computers running Alias software to create hi-resolution images from which we printed posters, rolled them up, placed in 2,000+ mailing tubes, added postage and labels, and sent to our clients and friends—what a thrash. In 1994, Ron Dylewski (now with WPGH) and Michael Killen (now with Animal) created an animation on the Paintbox which was mastered to 1-inch and sent out on VHS (tape formats that some of you may or may not remember). In 1997, Greg Shearer (now with Street Level Sound) composed and created a song in celebration of Christmas which was sent out on CD’s which, by the way, were much easier to handle than the posters. Sometimes, Christa Ross (now in the real estate business) would create something in print and send the card out just in time to get lost in the Christmas rush. Then other Christmases have seen everything from cookie tins to boxes filled with toys.

The last couple of years, we actually got the Christmas card process started early enough that we could solicit greeting concepts from the staff. I asked everyone to submit their ideas with the limitation that they must be able to be produced entirely in house and be completed for electronic delivery during Christmas week. In 2010, we had around 10 entries and voted to produce a lip-dub of “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”, which was submitted by Rich “Zoot” Dwyer and Matt Fridg. It received an amazing response from our clients, family and friends. The actual shot was done in one continuous take, beginning in the studio on the first floor of our facility and concluding on the 6th floor deck. There were a total of seven takes—and we used the last one.

This year the concept produced was The PMI Story, submitted by Amanda Pfennig of PMI Syndication. Most of the scenes were shot during our “Deck the Halls” party while we decorated our offices for the holiday season. If you haven’t seen the 2011 Christmas Card, please take this opportunity to watch. In addition to this most recent Christmas video, we’ve also included pictures of three of the posters from the late 80’s, the animated card from 1994, the original music from 1997, and the Christmas card from 2010.

We hope that you enjoyed walking down memory lane from Christmases past with PMI and trust that you had a Merry Christmas and a wonderful Holiday Season.…here’s to a prosperous 2012 for all.